Highway surface signal device



E. F. GIIUDRUIVI.

HIGHWAY SURFACE SIGNAL DEVICE* APPLICATION min AUG. Il, m2o.

ra Patented Nov. 2, 192th WARNING WARNING DEVICE DEvlcF` RAILWAY hl i" lil l;

HIGHWVAY SURFACE SGNAL BEVCE.

Speciication of Letters latent.

Patented Nov.. 2, 3192@ Application med August i7, 1920. Serial No. 404,156.

To 'all whom t may concern .o

Be it known that l, EDWARD F. Goonnurvr, a citizen of the United States, residingat Macon, in the county of Bibb and State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful lmprovements in Highway Surface Signal Devices; and l do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of` 'the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters 'and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

ll1 his invention relates to signals and especially refers to a signal tor use in indicating the approach or" a vehicle traveling over a highway to a danger point.

The object of the invention is to indicate to the operator or driver of a vehicle using a highway, such as an ordinary country road and thoroughfare, the proximity oit a dan-y ger Zone in the road and lthoroughitare ahead such as a railroad-crossing or other like place which should properly be approached with caution, the indication being afforded by improved means requiring no exercise ot the faculties of seeing or hearing but being arranged to setup a series of rapid vibrations in the vehicle. v

TWith the above and other objects in view, as will be hereinafter apparent, the invention consists in general ot, certain novel ari rangements ot details and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the 4accompanying drawing and specilically claimed.

ln the acom anyng drawing forming a vpart hereof, like characters indicate like parts in the several views, and

Figure l is a perspective view oi' the crossing of a railroad and highway and showing the invention installed,

Fig. 2 is a transverse section through that portion of the highway formed in accordance with the invention,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal section through part of the highway and signaling means, 1

Fig. .4L is a bottom perspective view 4showing several of the signaling elements and the means used to hold them in position,

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic plan view ot a highway and railroad crossing with the signaling means in the highway.

a. ln the embodiment ot the invention as illustrated in the drawings there is disclosed a highway l() which is crossed by a railroad ll on the same level as the highway, being what is commonly known as a grade crossing. Under these circumstances the railroad constitutes a danger zone for traliic along the highway and has been selected for illustration as typical of one of many conditions which may occur wherein a danger `zone exists on a highway.

At each side of the danger zone, and in spaced. relation thereto is shown the signaling device which is indicated in general at l2.' ln the construction ot these devices a suitable excavation is made in the surface of the highway and in this excavation is laid a concrete bed or Jfoundation 13 having channel bar stringere lll embedded therein with thin iianges down and the backs ol3 their webs rlush with the top ot the concrete. rlhese stringers are bored or punched at proper intervals before being set in the concrete and through the holes thus formed are passed bolts 15 the heads oit, which thus become embedded in the concrete as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Each signal element consists of a tubular member 16 segmental in cross section and these members are arranged to extend longitudinally across the highway with their flat or. chordal sides downward and resting on the stringers and their edges touching as shown. lreferably these members are provided with longitudinal slots 17 in the flat sides to receive the upper ends of the bolts 15 and are held in position by the nuts 18 screwed on these bolts, access to the nuts being had through the open ends ot the members 16.

lilith this construction forming part ot' the approach to a danger Zone it becomes impossible for the driver or operator of a vehicle to enter such zone without being aware of its proximity because any vehicle passing over the corrugated surface formed by the signal members will receive aseries of vertical impulses which will effect a rapid shaking or vibration of the vehicle and all therein.

rlhere has thus been provided an effective device for accomplishing the purposes of my invention.,

Having thus described the invention,what is claimed as new, is

l'. rlhe combination with a vehicle highway having a danger zone; ot means in the highway arranged to effect rapid shaking of a vehicle passing over the highway, said means being spaced from the danger zone whereby to warn an occupant of the vehicle of the approach of the latter to such danger zone.

2. The combination of a vehicle highway having a dan er zone; of means in the highway spaced rom the danger zone and arranged to effect a series of closely spaced substantially vertical impulses to a vehicle passing over said highway whereby to notify an occupant of such vehicle of the proximity of the danger zone.

3. A. vehicle highway having a danger zone and provided at the approach to said zone, inadvance of the danger Zone, with a closely corrugated surface whereby to set up rapid vibrations of small amplitude in a vehicle passing thereover and thereby warn an occupant of such vehicle of his approach to said zone.

ieaaeeo 4. A vehicle highway having a danger zone, and a series of signal members set closely side by. side in spaced relation to the danger zone in the surface ofv said highway and arranged to form a series of closely spaced corrugations.

5. A vehicle highway having a danger zone and provided in spaced relation to said danger zone with a recess in its surface, stringers extending longitudinally of the highway in said recess, hollow tubular members of segmental cross section extending across said highway with their sides contacting and their Hat sides bearing on the stringers, and means to secure the tubular members to the stringers.

ln testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD FREEMAN GODIRUVL llitnesses GRADY C. HARRIS, JNO. R. L. SMITH. 

